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第24章 TheLaboursofHercules(2)

Lolauswillinglyagreed,andtogethertheysetoffinachariottowardsthemarshycountrywherethehydralived.Whentheycameneartotheslimypoolinwhichthemonsterhadmadehishome,theydismountedfromthechariot,andwaitedforwhatmightappear.Theyhadnotlongtowait.Thesurfaceofthemudbegantobubbleandstir,andsuddenlytherethrustforththesevenloathsomeloathsomeadj.讨厌的headsofthemonster,closelyfollowedbythecoilsofhisserpentbody.Thehydraglidedtoland,rearedallhisheadssimultaneouslysimultaneouslyadv.同时地,andadvancedonthewaitingHercules.伊俄拉俄斯欣然应允,于是他们一起驱车奔向许德拉居住的沼泽地。当他们走近怪兽居住的泥潭时,便下车等候那个怪兽的出现。他们没等多久,泥潭的表面开始冒泡、掀动。突然,七个可怕的兽头窜出泥面,接着蛇身慢慢地盘旋而出。许德拉滑行到地面,猛地举起所有的头,袭击正在等候的赫拉克勒斯。

“Standaside.”Herculescommandedhisnephew.“Iwilldestroytheseheadsonebyone.”Thenhesmotemightilymightilyadv.强烈地,非常地withhisclub,andatablowhecrushedthefirstoftheheads,justasitsyellowteethsnappedoutathim.“靠边站。”赫拉克勒斯命令侄儿,“我要一个一个杀死这些头。”他奋力举起棒,当怪兽的黄牙猛地咬向赫拉克勒斯时,他一棒下去,打碎了第一个头。

Herculestookastepbackward,andimmediatelysawthattwoheadshadsprungupintheplaceoftheonethathadbeensmittenoff.赫拉克勒斯后退一步,发现被他打碎的头部又生出两个新头来。

“Itisinvaintostrikeofftheheads.”thoughtHercules.“Imustwrestlewrestlen.摔跤,角力,扭斗vi.摔跤,格斗,斗争,斟酌vt.与(对手)摔跤,使劲搬动withthehydra,asIdidwiththelion.”

“用棒打头没有效果。”赫拉克勒斯想,“我必须和许德拉徒手角斗,就像我对付那头狮子一样。”

Thenheclosedwithhisenemy;butashebegantowrestle,hisnephewcalledtohimtoconfrontanewdanger.于是他慢慢接近他的敌手,正准备动手,他的侄儿大喊让他防备新的危险。

Thiswasamonstrouscrab,whichnowcamecrawlingrapidlytowardsJuno,toaddtoHerculesdifficultiesbypinchinghisfeet.Herculesturnedasideforamomentformhisstrugglewiththehydra,seizedhisclubandcrushedthecrabcrabn.螃蟹,类似螃蟹的动物,脾气乖戾的人,吹毛求疵vi.捕蟹,偏航,发牢骚vt.使偏航,发脾气,破坏atablow;thenheturnedbacktothehydra.这是一只巨蟹,此时正急速爬向他们。女神朱诺派来这只大巨蟹钳住赫拉克勒斯的脚,使他不易取胜。赫拉克勒斯转向一边,暂时中止和许德拉的搏斗,抓起大棒一下击毙,这只巨蟹,然后又转回来对付许德拉。

Atlastheflunghimselfawayfromthecreature,whoseheadscontinuedtosnapandtearathim.“Quick,Lolaus!” hecalled.“Bringmealightedtorch,andsearthenecksoftheseserpentheadsasquicklyasIcancutthemoff.”

最后,他猛地从这个怪兽身边闪开,那怪兽的头还不停地企图咬他、撕他。“快,伊俄拉俄斯!”他喊道,“拿火把来,我一砍下这些蛇头,你就用火烧其颈。”

Loausspeedilydidashewascommanded.Helightedatorchtorchn.火把,启发之物vi.像火炬一样燃烧vt.用火炬点燃andcamerunningtoHercules side,andHerculesoncemorefacedthebeast.伊俄拉俄斯马上行动起来。他点燃火把,跑回到赫拉克勒斯身边。赫拉克勒斯再次和怪兽对峙。

“Now!” hecried. Hishugeclubcamedown,andanotherheadfellfromthebody.Beforetwoheadscouldspringupinitsplace,Iolausscorchedtheneckfromwhichtheheadhadfallen.Thus,onebyone,theheadswerecutawayandthenecksseared;andastheheadsfelltoearth,thecreaturegraduallyweakened.Atlastthereremainedbutonehead,theimmortalimmortaladj.不朽的one.Herculesstruckittothegroundwithoutdifficulty,butthereitcontinuedtowritheandooze,andbiteatthemudwithitsteeth.“马上!”他大吼一声。大棒击下,一颗蛇头滚落在地。就在两颗新头原处长出之前,伊俄拉俄斯迅速用火把烧焦颈项的断头处。如此这般,蛇头一个个被砍掉,颈项也一个个被烧灼。随着头颅落地,这只怪兽渐渐虚弱,最后只剩下的那颗杀不死的头颅。赫拉克勒斯毫不费力把它打落在地,但它一直渗血不止,痛苦地扭动着,用牙噬咬着烂泥。

Herculeswatcheditsstrugglesforawhile.“Thisheadmustnotbeallowedtoremainfree.” hethought.Soheseizedahougerock,andplaceditoverthehead;andbeneaththerock,ifamanmightbutfindit,itiswrithingstill.赫拉克勒斯静观了一会儿他的挣扎。“不能放任这颗头。”他想。于是他搬来一块巨石压在那颗头上。如果有人发现这颗蛇头,会看到它还在巨石下扭曲挣扎。

Beforeheleftthedeadhydra,Herculesdippedhisarrowsinthepoisonedbloodofthecreature,forheknewthatthepoisonwouldcarrycertaindeathtoallwhoshouldbepiercedbythearrows.在离开许德拉之前,赫拉克勒斯用这个怪兽有毒的血液浸润了他所有的箭头,他知道谁若被这种带毒的箭射中,必死无疑。

ThenexttaskwhichHerculesperformedwastobringhomeawondrousstag,withantlersofgoldandhoofsofbrass,whichwassofleetfleetn.舰队,港湾,小河adj.快速的,敏捷的,浅的adv.浅vt.消磨vi.疾驰,飞逝,掠过offootthatnomanhadsucceededinhuntingitdown.AfterHerculeshadpresentedthisstagtoEurystheus,Copreusprescribedhimyetanothertask:tobringbackthefiercewildboarwhichhauntedtheregionofErymanthus.This,too,theheroaccomplished,andthenreturnedtohiscousinforfurtherorders.赫拉克勒斯下一项任务是捕捉一只奇异的雄鹿,这只鹿金角铜蹄,奔跑迅捷,根本没人能追上它。当赫拉克勒斯把这只雄鹿呈给欧律斯透斯后,科普柔斯又交给他另一项任务:捕捉一只常在厄律曼扎斯山区出没的凶猛的野猪。英勇的赫拉克勒斯又成功地完成了这项任务,回到他表兄那儿听候新的命令。

“Now,”Coperustoldhim,“youmustmakeyourwaytothecountryofAugeas,KingofElis.Thiskinghastremendousherdsofcattle,andhekeepsthreethousandoftheminstablesnearhispalace.Thestablesaresolargethatformanyyearsnoonehasattemptedtocleanthem,andtheyarenowchokedchokev.窒息,哽住,使呼吸困难,阻塞n.窒息,阻气门withthemireandfilthofthreethousandcreatures.Yourtaskmustbetocleansethestablessothattheyarefreefromalltracesofimpurity.”

“现在,”科普柔斯告诉他,“你必须去厄利斯国王奥革阿斯那儿。这位国王饲养着无数的牛群,其中的三千只牛关在宫殿附近的牛棚里。这些牛棚非常巨大,多年无人打扫,三千只牛使得牛棚充满粪秽、泥泞,臭气窒人。你的任务就是打扫这些牛棚,不要留下任何不干净的痕迹。”

ThisappearedtoHerculestobemoredifficultthananythingelsehehadbeenaskedtoperform.However,hemadehiswaytothecourtofAugeas,andwascourteouslyreceivedbythatking.对赫拉克勒斯来说,这项工作显得比任何一项他已完成的任务都要困难。然而他还是来到奥革阿斯的宫廷,国王彬彬有礼地接待了他。

“Ihavebeentold,”saidHercules,“thatyouhaveimmenseimmenseadj.极广大的,无边的,<口>非常好的stables,whichhavenotbeencleanedformanyyears.”

“我听说,”赫拉克勒斯问,“你有些多年未打扫过的牛棚。”

“Thatisso.”repliedtheking.“是这样。”国王答道。

“ThenIwillpromisetocleanyourstablesinasingleday,”continuedHercules,“ifyouwillgivemeatenthpartofyourherds.”

“我答应一天之内把这些牛棚打扫干净,但你必须把牛群的十分之一赐给我。”赫拉克勒斯继续说。